LPD charges three with murder in death of man

Thursday

Jun 27, 2013 at 10:56 AMJun 27, 2013 at 3:10 PM

Three people have been arrested in the death of a man who was found in his home on Baney Drive.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

Three people have been arrested in the death of a man who was found in his home on Baney Drive.Amanda Beth Strack, 24, of 528 Charlotte Drive, Lot 8, Jerome Steven Robinson, 27, of 100 Blossom Circle, and Derek Oneil Troutman, 32, of 112 Needleworks Lane, have each been charged with murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. The three people, who were either arrested during the late night hours of Wednesday or early morning hours of Thursday, were each placed in the Davidson County Detention Center under no bond.The Lexington Police Department alleges Strack, Robinson and Troutman killed 56-year-old Maximino Quintana Rubio at his residence at 206 Baney Drive during the early morning hours of June 18. Officers responded to an unknown call at 1:08 p.m. that day, and Rubio was pronounced dead on the scene.A family member said police were called to the house to check an open door, and they found Rubio had been shot in the stomach twice. A coworker who became concerned once Rubio did not show up for work alerted police of the open door, said Fred Holt Jr., a neighbor of Rubio.Arrest warrants state the three people used a 9-millimeter handgun to take $1,200 in cash from Rubio. The weapon used in the incident has been recovered, Lexington Police Chief Tad Kepley has confirmed.“We got some information within the last couple of days that got us pointed in the right direction, leading to additional witness interviews and ultimately led to the three arrests,” Kepley said Thursday morning.Warrants were issued Wednesday for the three people’s arrests. “I don’t know if there was any prior relationship with the individuals and the victim,” the chief said.Kepley said he couldn’t discuss the motive or other specifics that would jeopardize the investigation. A search warrant related to the investigation has been sealed.“We are pleased to bring some closure to the case,” Kepley said. “… We feel very fortunate to make the arrests of all three individuals who were involved in the homicide. We do not, at this point, anticipate any additional individuals being charged. We feel like we have the three people responsible, and we feel pleased to wrap the case up, thanks in large part to the assistance of the (Davidson County) District Attorney’s Office as well as the State Bureau of Investigation.”Robinson also faces the unrelated charges of possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia.Coworkers of Rubio at The North Carolina Moulding Co. on Raleigh Road remained stunned Thursday concerning his death. Christa Maria Grier, the company’s vice president and co-owner of the business, said Rubio had been employed with her business for 26 years and last held the position of moulder operator. She said he was a native of Mexico and received his United States citizenship in 2001.“He was the most easygoing, most wonderful employee you could ever wish to have,” Grier said. Rubio’s 91-year-old father came from Mexico to attend Saturday’s funeral.“He worked on the farm with his father when he was 4 years old and then went to school and walked the equivalent of six miles a day to school,” Grier said. “You could see that he was a hard worker all of his life. He did a fantastic job.”Rubio worked on a specialized machine at the company, which is known for its mouldings in the picture frame industry. In the beginning of his employment, he swept floors before he worked his way up to operator.“We noticed his capability and (how) he could do so much more,” she said.Grier learned about 11 a.m. Thursday that three people had been arrested in Rubio’s death. She said she felt relieved.“He would not hurt a fly,” she said. “He was a very kind person. I never saw him in a rage or get upset about something in all the years.”

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.